The New Towns Act 1981 (Local Authority Oversight) Regulations

Government Publish Summary of Responses to Consultation Document

In a move to "encourage local authority leadership and ambition in the creation of new garden communities at scale", the then Department for Communities and Local Government published a consultation document on 4 December 2017 seeking views on draft Regulations to be made under section 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017.

The new regulations would make changes to The New Towns Act 1981 (Local Authority Oversight) Regulations. These changes would amend the Act to create a new option for Local Authority oversight of new town development by providing the detailed provisions enabling the creation of New Town Development Corporations, overseen by a local authority or authorities covering the area designated for a new town.

The consultation ran for 4 weeks and 92 responses were received from 58 individuals, 17 local authorities, 6 professional bodies, 6 other representative groups and 5 developers. In a question by question breakdown the government provide a summary of the responses received.

Subject to Parliamentary of the regulations the summary document recommends Local Authorities who wish to, hold preliminary discussion with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and subsequently seek the designation of an area for a New Town and creation of a locally led New Town Development Corporation. Guidance on the Regulations will be published to assist local authorities in understanding the government’s expectations around that process.